Yasir Shah made his presence hugely felt and had a day to remember–picking up a total of ten wickets to hand his team a handsome advantage on the third day of the first Test match in Dubai.
The leg-spinner, one of Pakistan’s most important bowlers in the format first derailed the New Zealand innings with eight wickets, skittling the Kiwis out for a paltry 90 and then once again returned with two wickets, further pegging back the New Zealanders as they still are in search to find a footing in this Test match.
His first innings haul of 8/41 gives him entry into an elite panel where his figures find the third best for a Pakistan bowler after the legendary Abdul Qadir’s 9/56, and Sarfraz Nawaz’s 9/86.
He nonetheless bettered West Indies spinner Devendra Bishoo’s record of 8/49 in an innings in the UAE which he had got two years ago.
Shah also now has the best bowling figures against New Zealand, as he went past South Africa’s Goofy Lawrence who had figures of 8/53 back in the years 1961-62.